Julia skimmer facts for kids
The Julia skimmer (scientific name: Orthetrum julia) is a type of dragonfly. It belongs to a family of dragonflies called Libellulidae, often known as "skimmers."
Quick facts for kids Julia skimmer |
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| Male Julia skimmer in uMkhuze Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa | |
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| Female Julia skimmer in Ithala Game Reserve, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Odonata |
| Infraorder: | Anisoptera |
| Family: | Libellulidae |
| Genus: | Orthetrum |
| Species: |
O. julia
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| Binomial name | |
| Orthetrum julia Kirby, 1900
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Contents
Where Julia Skimmers Live
Julia skimmers are found across many parts of Africa. You can spot them in countries like Angola, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. They live in a wide area, from West Africa to East and Southern Africa.
Conservation Status
The Julia skimmer is listed as "Least Concern" (LC) by the IUCN. This means that, for now, there are plenty of these dragonflies around, and they are not considered to be in danger of disappearing.
Julia Skimmer Habitat
Julia skimmers like to live in warm, wet places. You can find them near rivers, freshwater springs, and in forests that are not too high up. They prefer areas with lots of moisture and often fly close to water sources.
How to Tell Julia Skimmers Apart
The Julia skimmer can look a lot like another dragonfly called Orthetrum stemmale. This is especially true for a certain type of Julia skimmer found in southeastern Africa, known as O. julia falsum.
Wing Differences
You can tell them apart by looking closely at their wings.
- O. julia falsum (top image) has a dark spot called the "subcostal Ax" on its wings. It also usually has only a few "doubled cells" in a part of the wing called the radial planate.
- O. stemmale (bottom image) has a pale (light-colored) subcostal Ax. It usually has more doubled cells in the radial planate, often ten or more across all four wings.
Pterostigma Color
Another clue is the color of the pterostigma. This is a small, colored spot near the tip of a dragonfly's wing.
- The pterostigma of O. julia falsum is usually dark.
- The pterostigma of O. stemmale is usually pale.
 | William M. Jackson |
 | Juan E. Gilbert |
 | Neil deGrasse Tyson |
